


it started out with a kiss (how did it end up like this)

by Poaxath



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Always ask questions, Be Careful What You Wish For, Broody kylo, Deal with a Devil, Demon Dick, Demons, Demons are tricky but they don't lie, F/M, Finn's dumb but he meant well, Kylo is a hoarder, Read your contract thoroughly, Rey isn't a size queen but damn that monster dick hits just right, Rough Sex, Sealed With A kiss, Size Difference, Smut, Think Bad Dragon caliber, graphic smut, selling your soul
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:48:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24106240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poaxath/pseuds/Poaxath
Summary: It was only a kiss
Relationships: Finn/Rose Tico, Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 75
Kudos: 252





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lightshinebright](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lightshinebright/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Audrey, you are so amazing and I appreciate you and your support so so much that you don't even know. I'm so glad you're coming back to the fandom!

* * *

“Finn!” Rey gasped, eyes wide as her hands flew up to cover her mouth in horror. “Why would you do that?! Do you know how _stupid_ that is?!”

“It was the only way!” He cried back, stomping away from her to pace their shared apartment. Kicking some clothes out of his way, he brought his hands up to grip the sides of his head. “Rose is in the hospital! She was going to fucking _die_ without this, Rey!”

Finn's fiancee and Rey's second best friend had been in a car accident and things weren't looking too good. Between the grim outlook from the doctors to the amount of hospital bills piling up, Rey could sort of understand where he was coming from, but it still nagged at her. 

“But...you summoned a _demon,_ Finn! And you made a deal with it!” she shouted back, cupping her hands around her mouth to make sure he heard. The rest of the apartment complex probably heard too, if the banging on the wall that connected to their neighbor's was anything to go by. 

“So _what?!”_ he yelled, turning to glare at her. “If me doing this means that Rose can live a long, healthy life, then I'm going to do it, even if it means I can't be there.”

“Finn, that’s _ridiculous!"_ Rey snapped. “Do you even realize how insane this all sounds? I know that Rose being in the hospital is stressful, but now you’re talking about summoning and making deals with demons. _Demons,_ Finn! Do you know what they want as payment?!” 

So she’d dabbled a bit in the dark arts as a teenager—didn’t every girl? She was a bit surprised to hear that Finn had, as well, though. She’d never actually tried anything, though. She’d only checked out a ton of books from the library, read them and daydreamed, and then promptly returned them without trying anything. She straddled the line between believing and not, but she was still too scared to attempt anything. She more preferred the worshipping nature part of it. 

“Yeah, I do! He was very up front about his terms, and he's going to collect on that payment _tonight,_ at the same time Rose gets better,” he said through gritted teeth. “Look, I know it sounds crazy, but the doctors have done all they can and it's not enough, Rey. She's a...she's a vegetable right now. I have to try to _try,_ even if nothing comes of it. But I have a feeling it's going to work.” 

“So you think it’s going to work? You think your _contract_ with a fucking _demon_ is going to work? What, _exactly,_ did he tell you the payment was going to be, Finn?” Rey asked. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow, waiting for whatever ridiculous answer he was going to give. 

“What do you think?” Finn said, the anger in his voice suddenly gone. “What do demons usually ask for, Rey?”

She faltered. “I mean...sex, usually, I think?” 

“Oh my god,” he rolled his eyes and threw his hands back up. _“No._ They ask for your soul! God. I'm not going to turn into a prostitute. Sheesh. Well, I hope not, anyway. After tonight, I guess technically I have to do whatever I'm told, so…yeah, let's hope not. But it's the only way, and in all fairness, I didn't even have to tell you about this!”

He looked around their apartment again, from the dirty clothes scattered along the sofa, to the dishes in the sink that hadn't been done for a few days. He'd miss this, he knew he would, but it was worth it. 

“No, there has to be another way. There just has to. This demon isn't going to take your fucking _soul!_ ” Rey snapped. “We have to think of a solution, we have to have _something_ else it will want—" 

“What else could a _demon_ possibly want?” Finn asked, brow furrowed in true thought. “That's like asking what you get someone who has it all.”

“Well, it's _not_ getting your soul, so that's that!” she said indignantly. “Finn, I almost lost Rose and to lose you, too—it's unbearable.” 

She hated that she felt close to tears, but deep-rooted attachment issues did that to a person. Finn and Rose were her friends, some of her only ones, and they were her only family. She loved them so much and Rose's accident had shaken both her and Finn to the point of numb disbelief for a few days. She _hated_ that Rose was a vegetable. Rose. Their happy, nerdy, sassy Rose. Oh god. 

“Rey…” he sighed, shaking his gently as he moved closer to pull her into a hug. “It's okay. It really is. I want Rose to be okay, and you need someone to hang around with. I'm seriously _okay_ with doing this. Maybe we can do some sort of long-distance Skype session or something, I dunno.”

“I don't think they have fucking _Skype_ in hell or wherever!” she said. But her words had little bite as she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. She sniffled as her tears began to spill unbidden. “Finn, you big dummy.”

He chuckled softly at that, holding her close as he pressed his face into her hair. “Yeah, maybe. I'm sure we can figure out something to do in the meantime. Food?”

“Oh, that's cheap. You know I'd never turn down food,” she said, unable to stop herself from smiling.

“I do know,” he smirked right back. “So come on; you, me, and a date with that pizza buffet around the corner. What do you say? I'll even let you have all my tickets from the games.”

She rolled her eyes. “You are a real charmer, you big doof. Now let's go spend a disproportionate amount of money for cheap trinkets.” 

“Yes, ma'am!” he said with a mock salute.

* * *

It had been a long time since either Finn or Rey had gone to a place like this, where it was just _fun._ They raced each other on the indoor go kart track, Rey had come in first, and then after that, they ran over to the laser tag booth, and slipped into their gear and then into the dark room after that. Finn had beaten her there, practically prancing around when he'd been declared the winner with the most shots on his team. 

From there, they'd finally headed to the arcade, where, after skeeball, air hockey, and various different jackpot type games, Finn handed Rey his promised tickets and helped her pick out something he'd always wanted but couldn't ever afford. A remote control helicopter that spanned at least a foot long. 

Their time together had been nice. Sad but nice. Their laughter had been tinged with the knowledge that it would be their last. It made them make the most of it, to create memories that would last Rey the rest of her life. Finn had sat her down after getting their prize and had given her a stern message for Rose. He wanted her to know what had happened to him, wanted her to know that everything he owned except his old-school Gameboy—which was going to Rey—would be left in her care, and that he loved her. 

"And no matter what happens, I want you to tell her it didn't hurt," he'd said while taking her hands. 

Rey understood the reason why, of course. Rose would already be distraught and she didn't need the knowledge that Finn had been in agony until it ended on top of it. 

She'd promised and they'd hugged each other tight before they went back to making the most out of the limited time they had left. 

* * *

Their steps were somber as they made their way back up the stairs to their apartment. Rey held his hand tightly, swallowing nervously as the clock ticked later and later. It was coming—she could feel it in the air like the charge before a storm. Any minute now and it was all going to come alive, the metaphorical lightning singing in her veins. 

“Finn, I know what you’re thinking, but you...there has to be a way,” she said softly. “It’s all about an exchange, right? Just like with the Fae? You asked for a favor and they want one in return. So maybe you can just, like, do the demon’s...bidding for a bit? I’m sure it has some demon-y errands to run or whatever. Maybe you can do that for a little while and then come back home to us.” 

“Yeah, maybe,” he grumbled as he tried to hide his eye roll. “Maybe I can just go grocery shopping for him and pick up his dry cleaning too. Or walk his dog. Or maybe he has a cat. Demons are cat people—er—beings, right?”

“I dunno. Hades has Cerberus, so you gotta think that it’s the same as it is with people,” she shrugged. “Beings. Whichever. Demonic creatures.” 

“We'll see, I guess,” he shrugged as they made their way back up the stairs to their apartment. He stepped into the apartment and flicked on the light, only to nearly scream and jump back in shock. 

Standing in the middle of the living room was a man, tall, dark hair, brooding demeanor. He was wearing a black shirt with what appeared to be a slightly metallic grey sports coat. His hands were at his sides, and he was casually browsing through the pictures on the nightstands, head tilted to the side in intrigue. 

Rey’s eyes went wide at the amount of space this massive _man_ took up in their apartment. What the everloving hell? Did demon automatically mean six foot three worth of—of— _muscle?_ He was just so broad, even in his sports coat. There was the dual instinct to hide behind Finn and to actually approach him, to get a closer look. To say she was strangely intrigued was an understatement. But how else was a person supposed to act when there was the definition of tall, dark, and—

“Who are you?” she dared to ask. 

“Don't talk to him, Rey!” Finn tried to shush, wedging himself between his best friend and the other man in the room. 

“You’re him, aren’t you? You’re the demon,” Rey accused as she leaned around Finn, her voice full of wonder and dread. 

The man turned to look at her then, straightening to his full height as he placed his hands in his pockets and dipped his head slightly. “I am. Kylo,” he said simply. 

He drifted over to another part of the apartment to inspect, stepping over the laundry as though it wasn't there. 

“Yeah, that's him. Now you need to go. Like, go to your room or something,” Finn said, giving her a gentle push. 

“What?” Rey snapped, as if finally remembering that Finn was there. She looked at her best friend with fire in her eyes. “No, no way! I’m not going anywhere! I’m not letting him just _take_ you!” 

“You _have_ to, Rey!” Finn yelped. In a lower, hushed voice, he added, “You don't wanna piss him off, I'd imagine.”

Kylo ignored them, running his fingers along the end tables to various knick-knacks that were scattered around the space. 

“No!” she hissed at Finn. She stepped around him and strode purposefully to the demon. She’d worry about cowering before him later. Right now, she had a best friend to save. “Hey, Kylo!” 

He turned to look down at her, watching her impassively as she approached. “Yes?” he asked, a deep rumble from the depths of his chest.

Finn simply watched in horror, eyes wide and his hands covering his mouth. “Rey!” he hissed right back at her. “Get back here!”

“You can’t take Finn,” she said defiantly. She had to crane her neck to look up at him and it was _almost_ uncomfortable. But she refused to let this otherworldly being know that he had, in any way, shape, or form, intimidated her. Confidence was the key to getting what one want in life. 

“And why not? We've made a deal. I've come to seal it,” he explained, eyes flickering from her back to Finn over her shoulder. 

“Because you can’t! He’s—he—" she panicked for a moment, knowing her momentary lack of confidence could cause her everything in an argument. Suddenly, it dawned on her. “Because, there’s no point in saving Rose if she can’t be with Finn. There is no life for one without the other.” She turned sad eyes back to Finn, giving him a soft smile. “They’re in love.” Turning back up to the demon, she asked him, “Haven’t you ever been in love?” 

“Not to my knowledge, no,” he replied, eyebrow raised. He may very well have been, but his memories as a human were long gone. “You believe I should simply let him escape his contract because he's in love.”

“Well, no. I mean, obviously you did something for him and you want payment. So, uhm, what else would you like, then? Surely we have something to offer you that you’d like more than silly old Finn’s soul?” she offered. 

Shit, she really hadn’t thought this through completely. She should have kept quiet until she came up with a good enough plan, but she couldn’t take that risk. 

“What are you offering?” he asked, eyes sparkling with the beginnings of interest and amusement. “What could you offer that would satisfy the trade for a life?”

She glanced around their apartment with a slight frown on her lips. The three of them worked their asses off, but they didn’t have a lot to show for it, sadly. That was the fun life of millennials, working their fingers to the bone for meager earnings while everyone else said that they were lazy. They hadn’t really accumulated anything worth much over the years and they barely had any money between them. Not that she thought a demon wanted money. What did demons want? Well, she’d already asked once…

“Do you see anything in here worth the trade to you? You can have _anything,_ except for Finn,” she said, tacking on the last bit just in case he decided to be clever. 

Tracking his eyes around the room, he landed on the couch, a worn old thing before next looking at the television, something that hadn't been updated since the late nineties. Finally settling back on her, he said, “I have no use for material items. A contract is a contract, and I will have what was agreed to.”

He moved around her with a grace that was surprising for someone of his size and came to a stop before Finn. 

The darker man's eyes were wide, but he nodded. “I know. I'm not backing out of the deal.”

“Finn! You can’t!” Rey cried out. “Think about Rose! She’s going to be _so_ pissed when she wakes up and you’re gone! Don’t you love her?” 

Finn shot her a glare. “Of _course_ I do! But at least she'll wake up!” To Kylo, he gave a nod and said, “Alright, I'm ready.”

With a tender carefulness, the demon slid his hands up to either side of Finn's face, holding him carefully as he began to lower his own face down. Every contract was sealed with a kiss, and this would be no different. 

“Wait!” Rey cried out, reaching out for them both. “Take me for him! Please!” 

Kylo paused, his lips hovering just over Finn's, and turned his head slightly to look at her. “An interesting offer. You would willingly put yourself in his place?”

“Rey, _no!”_ Finn gasped, outrage and horror mixing on his features. 

“Finn, I don’t have someone like you do. I only have you and Rose, and you guys have each other and you don’t really need me so I can—” she sighed and looked back up at Kylo, a resolute look in her eyes. “Yes. I would willingly put myself in his place. Please, let me pay the debt he owes you. I’ll...I’ll do whatever you wish.” 

“A noble action,” Kylo said, straightening again. “However…”

Finn's face paled at the condition. “However?”

“Both parties must agree to the trade,” Kylo said. “The one who began it must also agree for another to take their place. It must be a willing sacrifice.”

“Finn, you have to. Please. Rose needs you. You guys are going to get married in three months and have a billion gorgeous babies and...and just name one for me, okay?” she asked, giving him a sad smile. 

“Rey, I can't have you take my place. That isn't fair to you,” Finn said, tears shining in his eyes as he stepped closer to her. 

“Be with Rose and be happy, Finn. You guys deserve that. You’ve both had such shitty lives that it was a miracle that you found each other in the first place. Don’t squander the love you have. It’s precious and rare,” she said, holding out her hand for his. “I love you both, you know I’d do anything for you. And if it means that I’m going to do...whatever for this demon, then I’ll do it.” 

Giving her hand a tight squeeze, he pulled her into his chest for a hug, sniffling slightly as he pushed his nose into her hair. “This is so unfair to you. So unfair.”

“But I’m going to do it, Finn. And you’re going to agree. Because you’ve got a fabulous life to live,” she said, squeezing him back just as hard. “I love you guys. Make it a good one for me, okay?” 

“I love you too, Rey. God, I love you so much, and I know Rose does, too,” he whispered fiercely.

Kylo spoke next, his voice quiet and gentle as he said, “It is time. Who will it be?”

Finn looked up at him and then to Rey, his expression pained. “Rey. It will be Rey.”

“Very well,” the demon said, extending a hand out for her. 

Rey bit her lip and wondered if she should maybe change her clothes to something more...comfortable? Would she be stuck in this forever? In her skinny jeans, tank top, and blue flannel? Couldn’t she at least grab a pair of leggings first? But no, there was no more time to delay. They’d pushed it off enough already. 

Swallowing thickly, she nodded and disentangled herself from Finn. She willed herself not to shake as she laid her hand in Kylo’s. Holy shit his hand was massive. 

“It is not nearly so bad as you think,” he murmured, gazing down at the young woman. Drawing her closer, he placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her face up so that he wouldn't have to bend down nearly as far. 

“I don’t know if I should trust the word of a demon,” she whispered, her eyes trained solely on his plump red lips. Now that she was so close to his face, she couldn’t help but see how handsome he really was. Well, she supposed that if she was going to be entrapped by a demon, it might as well be one who was most definitely sex on a stick. 

“I think you'll find we're more honest than humans,” he replied, leaning down further to press his mouth to hers. It was open-mouthed with no tongue, and he breathed his essence into her while simultaneously taking hers to bind her to him. It was cold, an icy chill that may look like mist transferring to anyone that may be watching. 

She shivered and instinctively pressed her body closer to his, seeking out his warmth. Kissing him felt—incredible! Shit. She couldn’t remember the last time she kissed someone and it felt this spine-tinglingly good. Even with the strange chill wrapping around her body, which she _knew_ she should be more concerned about, she didn’t want to end this kiss. She was almost embarrassed that Finn was able to see this. At least she had enough sense to not make any noise, her hands in fists at her sides to keep from touching the demon like they so desperately seemed to want to. 

He pulled away a moment later, his eyes glowing crimson like rubies as he straightened, mouth parted like a cat scenting something. 

“With this kiss, I bind you to me. You are bound to me and I to you until this debt is paid,” he whispered, the words sounding archaic and ritualistic. “Should I need you, I will summon you.”

Finn just gaped. “That's it? That's _it?”_

As Kylo moved back to the door, he threw what appeared to be a smirk over his shoulder as he confirmed, “That's it.”

Rey just stood completely still, her eyes trained only on Kylo. She felt so different and yet exactly the same. She wanted to ask how she’d know he’d summoned her, but she felt like she already knew the answer to that. It was like there was a string connecting them and all he’d have to do was tug. 

The moment the door closed behind him, Finn flew over to her, hands on her shoulders as he searched her eyes. 

“Rey? Rey, you okay?” he asked in a panicked whisper. 

She blinked once, twice, and then finally turned to catch Finn’s eyes, as if waking from a dream. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said, her voice soft and reassuring. It didn’t sound a thing like her, of course, but it was true. She was completely fine. Just...tethered to a demon. 

He waved his hand in front of her face, blinking back into her eyes. “You sure? You sound...odd.”

“I just made a deal to be at the beck and call of a demon. I’m bound to be a tiny bit off,” she shrugged. She stepped around Finn and sat on their couch, curling her legs up under her like usual, pulling a pillow into her lap. It was as if it was a normal evening as she reached for the remote, flipping the TV on. “C’mon. We’ve got shows to watch.” 

Staring at her for a long moment, Finn slowly sat down beside her, casting wary glances her way as their favorite show began playing. 

He bit his lip with worry but said nothing. He owed her so big now that it wasn't even funny. No amount of dinner would make up for this blunder.

He should have just taken the deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eskayrobot is also to be credited with this story, even though I can't add her as an author yet.


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

Rey wasn’t sure what a demon even did with humans anyway, so she had no frame of reference for what to expect. What she _didn’t_ expect, however, was the week-long silence. She kept glancing at things out of the corner of her eyes, kept looking for a sign, for Kylo to be calling her. But he hadn’t. Not when she woke up that next morning, not when they went to visit Rose in the hospital, nor when they brought her home. Even when Rey went out the next evening to allow Finn and Rose some privacy, she didn’t feel anything on her end. She wondered if all the hubbub and stress was for nothing. Maybe he was just a nice demon who helped nice people out in their time of need and didn’t want anything in return. 

Except for that kiss. 

She couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss. It hadn’t even been that long or that passionate or anything, really. It hadn't been more than their lips pressed together and their breath mingling. There had been no tender touches or soft moans or anything of the sort. It was just their lips, joined for a brief moment in time. That cold shill that had chased down her spine had met a fire alight in her belly and she felt changed. But it really wasn’t anything. So why did she keep thinking about it? It was ridiculous. 

She sighed as she came home that night, Kylo still on her mind. She wished he would just cash in on whatever it was he wanted from her so she could stop thinking about it. She was getting too distracted from work. She had barely paid attention to the mindless chatter of her co-workers or the sweet words of Finn and Rose. She just needed this whole thing done with so that she could go on living her normal life again. 

“Hey guys!” Rey called out as she toed off her shoes. 

“Rey! Hey!” Both Finn and Rose echoed at the same time.

Rose had made a full recovery, the doctors absolutely baffled by the sudden transformation. If only they knew the real reason.

“We made some spaghetti for dinner, and your mail is on the counter by the stove,” Rose called from her spot under Finn's arm on the couch. 

“Italian, yes!” Rey grinned. She leaned over the back of the couch and kissed both of their heads in further greeting, noting their empty bowls already sitting on their sparkling clean coffee table. Finn had been so cute the morning Rose was allowed to come home, going into a full-on cleaning frenzy. She gave it two more days before it was back to its usual messiness. 

She went off into their tiny kitchen, piling some noodles into her bowl before spooning on the sauce. She balanced a drink between her elbow and side and grabbed her mail, carrying the three items to the lone armchair. She would usually sit with Finn and Rose on the couch, but Rose had needed the space to stretch out lately, so she didn’t mind sitting apart from them. Setting her things down carefully, she balanced her bowl in her lap as she opened her mail. 

Bill. Bill. Bullshit credit card offer. Bill. Overdue notice. Bill. And...

Just her name, written in beautiful calligraphy. 

“Hey. This one doesn’t have an address or a stamp or anything,” Rey frowned, holding up the envelope to show Finn and Rose. “Do you know where it came from?” 

Finn just shook his head. “Not a clue. It was tucked neatly into the doorframe when I got home from the store earlier. What does it say?” 

Rey shrugged and set the other mail aside as she carefully opened the envelope. Immediately, she felt that same chill she’d felt when she’d kissed Kylo. _Odd. I thought demons were all about heat._ Brushing that thought aside, she unfolded the letter and read over the elegant script. 

> _Miss Rey Johnson,_
> 
> _I've received a copy of your resume on my desk this morning, and based on what I can see, you appear to be a qualified candidate for a position we have available. If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity, I would very much like to see about a meeting for this Friday. Please contact my secretary at your earliest convenience._
> 
> _Sincerely,_
> 
> _Benjamin Solo_

Below that were contact numbers and an address to the building the company was located. 

Rey looked at the page, flipping it over once, then twice to see if there was anything more. What the—what even was this? She hadn’t sent her resume to anyone lately. Sure, she deeply detested her job, but she was too worried about the lapse in pay should Plutt find out she was looking elsewhere. This whole situation screamed _trap_ and _scam_ and _girl, you’re going to be a story on the news!_ And, aside from the strange feeling she got about it being from Kylo, it wasn’t. Frowning down at it, she set her bowl on the table and got up, excusing herself for a moment as she went into her room and dialed the phone number. 

“Alright, Dopheld Mitaka. Tell me what’s up,” she muttered as she dialed. 

“Mr. Solo's office, this is Dopheld Mitaka speaking, how can I help you today?” The voice on the other end of the line was cheery, but not too chipper, kind and almost meek. 

“Hi. My name is Rey Johnson. I got this strange letter in my mail today saying that I was being considered for a job with a Benjamin Solo?” Rey asked, knowing that giving all the facts was easiest.

“Ah yes, he's been expecting your call. What time works best for you, Miss Johnson? He has openings at 8, 10:30, noon, and 4:30,” Mitaka said, flipping through his boss’ schedule. 

She got out of work at 4, and a quick glance at the address told her that it wouldn’t take more than twenty minutes to get across town at that hour. 

“4:30, then,” she said. “And, Mr. Mitaka, would you mind telling me what it is you...do?”

“I am the personal assistant to Mr. Solo. I manage his daily activities and—”

“Not you _personally!_ I mean, I’m sorry, that was rude. I just meant...what does your company do?” she tried again. 

“Oh. We handle investments, as well as trades in stocks and bonds. Things of that nature. It's a very profitable company and the benefits are quite nice, if I say so myself,” he replied brightly. 

“Stocks and bonds? Investments? I’m...I’m a mechanic. How in the world can I be of any use to a company like that?” Rey balked. 

“I'm not at liberty to say, Miss Johnson. I only suggest you at least come to take a look around. I know several expansions are planned within the company,” he nodded to himself. 

“So you think this is a good idea? Objectively, I mean? As an outsider. Would you recommend that I meet with Mr. Solo? What kind of a boss is he?” she asked. 

“I would recommend at least meeting with him, yes. I’m sure you can always decline the offer. Between you and me, he is a wonderful employer, though when things go wrong, I would watch out. His temper is legendary, but he is fair,” Mitaka hummed, covering the mouthpiece of the phone with his hand as he spoke into it. 

She frowned. A legendary temper? “What keeps you working for a man with a temper like that?” she couldn’t help but ask. 

“Loyalty, Miss Johnson. Loyalty. As I said; while his temper is legendary, he is fair,” he said. “Shall I cancel your appointment or keep it?”

Well, Plutt’s temper was pretty terrible, too, so it wasn’t like she didn’t know how to handle that. Not that she wanted another boss who would scream at her, but maybe Mr. Solo’s screaming would be...less terrible? And besides, he somehow had the loyalty of this soft-sounding man. And Rey was not soft at all. 

“I’ll see you at 4:30, Mr. Mitaka,” she said. 

She felt that cold chill once again. 

“Take care until then, Miss Johnson,” Mitaka smiled back. “I look forward to meeting you.”

“You, too,” Rey said. 

After they bid goodbye, she frowned down at her phone. Chewing her lip for a moment, she sat on the edge of her bed and pulled up Google. 

Unfortunately, searching for Benjamin Solo came up with a lot of nothing. Sure, his name showed up in a ton of articles about business and finances, but there wasn’t a single picture, nothing of substance. Just his name in the middle of a bunch of others, most often surrounded by a Hux, Phasma, or Snoke. She still couldn’t quite tell what it was that they did, save the same information as Mitaka’s vague description. She just wished there was a photo or something. This was frustrating. 

As she went back out into the living room, she debated whether or not she should tell her friends. The only comforting thing about her searching had been that the business was, in fact, very real and the addresses linked up. It was in the heart of the business district downtown. There were other legitimate businesses occupying the floors below (although this one seemed to take up the top ten). There was even a Wikipedia page for it, however brief it was, and it hadn’t been edited for a few months. She was going someplace legitimate, and she was going to come back from it. As she twirled her noodles up on her fork, she decided that it wasn’t that strange and there was no need to worry her friends. 

* * *

She ducked out of work a bit early, not desiring to go wandering into the business district in her oil-stained coveralls. She changed in the bathroom, scrubbing her hands and her face and pulling a brush through her hair. She changed into a pair of light gray slacks and a white button up blouse, keeping her work boots on just for now. She’d change in her nude heels when she got to the building, as driving her motorcycle wasn’t exactly easy in heels. She slipped away before any of her coworkers could catch her, waiting to rev her bike on until she got a bit further down the road. 

To her comfort, the building was heavily populated. There were people walking by swiftly on the sidewalk and buzzing in the lobby, all looking very important and involved in their business. Rey was instructed to an elevator towards the end of the lobby, apart from the bank of the others. She was a bit thrown by that, but the attendant had just smiled and said that it was because the other elevators didn’t go quite that high. 

“First Order paid for discretion,” he told her. 

She rode up the empty, silent elevator, nervously wringing her hands. She wasn’t sure what awaited her when she reached the 99th floor, but, as the city fell away below her, she definitely knew what would await her if this empty elevator suddenly decided that it wasn’t a fan of her in it…

No, nope, no time for her to freak out. She wasn’t even afraid of heights! It was just her nerves getting to her. She just needed to get this done and over with. She’d either like Mr. Solo and what he had to say, or she wouldn’t. Simple as that. 

Damn these heels already hurt. 

When the elevator pinged open, she had a moment more of hesitation. It was...quiet. Almost too quiet. The floor was almost too dark for how high up it was, but she readily attributed it to the fact that there were doors on every side of her, a hall leading down to a lone reception desk. Behind it sat a kindly looking man, if a bit tired. The largest and most ornate of the doors was off to his left, while there were two that were slightly less ornate were to his right. She didn’t have to guess which one Mr. Solo was behind. 

“Um. Hi. I’m Rey...Johnson,” she said once she’d approached. 

The man lifted his head up to her, a kind smile warming his face as he lifted himself up from his desk and came around to her, offering his hand out to shake. “Miss Johnson, yes yes, it's so nice to see you. My, you look lovely,” he gushed, grinning wildly as he gestured for her to come closer. “What do you think so far? Nice, right?”

“It’s...high up,” she replied, returning his smile. “And it’s so quiet. Is everyone up here an executive?” she asked. 

“Up here, yes. I much prefer it to the bustle of downstairs, honestly,” he nodded, gesturing her over to the largest door nearby them. “Mr. Solo is waiting for you. Don't be shy. He seemed in a decent mood today.”

He opened the door to reveal a wall of windows on the other side of the room, letting in huge swaths of light that fell in and onto the gleaming floors. There were sofas and rugs set out to give it a more intimate, cozy feel, but it didn't _quite_ work with the sheer space inside. The largest piece of furniture in the room was a large mahogany desk that took up the middle by the windows, an equally large executive chair situated behind that. In the chair was Benjamin Solo, who looked up from his spreadsheets, his eyes widening slightly in surprise as he absorbed Rey's outfit. 

“Mr. Solo, this is Miss Rey Johnson, your 4:30 appointment,” Mitaka explained. “Miss Johnson, this is Mr. Solo, our CEO here at First Order. Let me know if you need anything—I'll be just outside.”

“Thank you, Mitaka,” Ben said, giving him a nod as he stood, adjusting the front of his expensive suit as he looked to Rey again. “Miss Johnson, it's nice to meet you,” he said, coming around the edge of his desk to shake hands. 

She stood frozen. There was that ice cold chill again, one she’d tried to pass off as nerves, and now, standing in front of her was—

“Kylo,” she whispered. 

Ben tilted his head at her curiously before shaking it slowly. “No, I'm afraid not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First Order handles... _bonds_ and... _investments._


	3. Chapter 3

She blinked and then shook her head. No. That wasn’t right. Kylo had been so...and this man was...no. This man had dark hair that was expertly tousled into place, and while the two men  _ looked  _ identical, it was clear strictly from their posture and mannerisms that Ben Solo of First Order and Kylo Ren, demon of wherever, were two different people. 

“Hello, I meant—I’m so sorry. Let’s start again. Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said, giving him a bright smile as she held out her hand to him. 

“A pleasure to meet you, as well,” he smiled down at her, taking her hand in his. He stilled slightly at the contact, the air cooling around where their skin touched. As he pulled it back, he wiped his hand discreetly on his slacks. “I apologize—you must have several questions. Please, come sit,” he said, gesturing towards one of the sofas on the other side of his desk. 

She glanced over at the sofa. It was large and comfortable looking and her already-aching feet were excited to get a place of comfort to rest. Not that she’d be a heathen and put her feet up, but, even still… 

“Thank you so much,” she said, moving to take her seat. “I have to say that I was surprised to get your letter. I didn’t even know that places still sent letters anymore, especially not handwritten ones. Whoever's handwriting that was has a real talent.” 

Having enough grace to duck his head, he shrugged. “It was mine. Thank you—I practiced it all the time as a child. What do you currently do for a living, Miss Johnson?”

“I thought you said you had my resume?” she asked, furrowing her brow. “How  _ did _ you get it? I don’t even have it posted anywhere.” 

“As I said in my letter, it was on my desk when I came into work. I have a feeling you and I have a mutual connection,” he replied, leaning back against his desk. He ran a hand through his hair, taking in a deep breath as he met her eyes. 

“Perhaps,” she whispered. “A mechanic. I’m an auto mechanic. I work down at Plutt’s Garage and Salvage, over on Pegg St. I’ve been with him since...I’ve never had another job.” 

“Apparently Kylo has decided he wants you to work here now,” Ben sighed, placing his hands on the edge of the desk. 

“Wait, what?” Rey gasped, looking at him with wide eyes. He hadn’t just—what?

Dragging his hands over his face, Ben suppressed a groan as he shook his head, more to himself while he muttered, “Way to go, asshole. You didn't even tell her your plan, did you.” Louder, he explained, “Kylo. The demon. He apparently wants you to work here. He, ah...I'm his host. To put it simply.”

“I’m sorry but you’re going to need to use more words than those. What the—” nope, don’t say that word. Too obvious. “What in the world is going on around here?” 

“Ahhh, where to explain?” he mused to himself as he pushed away from the desk and began to pace back and forth in front of the bay windows. “Here, better yet—you ask me what you want to know, rather than me just bombarding you with information.”

“I know literally nothing. My friend, Finn, made a deal with Kylo to save the life of his fiancee, Rose. When Kylo came to collect, I traded Finn’s contract for me. And then we, um, sealed that contract and he disappeared.” She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “You can forgive me for being a bit confused as to why he needs a host, since I  _ touched  _ him.” 

“You touched  _ me,”  _ he said, shrugging. “The night you sealed your contract with him, it was my physical body, even if Kylo was the one behind the wheel. He was the one you sealed the deal with, but it was not  _ his  _ body used,” he said, coming to a stop and turning to look back at her. 

“Oh god. I kissed  _ you?" _ she gasped, a hand flying up to cover her mouth.

He chuckled softly, nodding. “Yeah, sorry about that. Uhm, if you ever see me around, don't automatically assume it's me. If you take this position, and if you have a deal with Kylo, I  _ strongly  _ recommend you do, then you'll learn the difference between our tells soon enough.”

“No, there’s nothing to be sorry about,” she said. Catching herself, she hurried on. “I mean, it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t want to kiss me...or Finn, for that matter. I mean, um. Ok. So. How did you end up in this position, if you don’t mind me asking?” she asked. She wanted to invite him to sit next to her, but that seemed a bit forward for two people whose interactions had mainly been this conversation and a kiss neither of them initiated before. 

“I made my own deal,” he admitted, shrugging again. “I made my own deal, and Kylo had something he wanted, and here we are. I work as a CEO for a company that does business under the guise of banking transactions.”

“What  _ kind _ of business?” she asked, frowning. 

“Not everyone believes in magic anymore, Miss Johnson,” he said, pouring himself a glass of water at his desk. He offered one to her as well when he was done, continuing, “Demons aren't all bad, and yes, I know I sound crazy. But it's true. They need souls and deals to survive and they have things they have to do, as well. Now, however, without people summoning them up as they did in the olden days, those demons are sort of resorting to drastic measures. Businessmen and women with a power struggle will do nearly anything to achieve what they want, and if that means making a deal with a demon, then so be it.”

“Finn summoned him to save Rose’s life,” Rey said, feeling the sudden need to defend her friend’s reasoning. “And I...I didn’t have much to live for. I didn’t mind giving up my life for their happiness.” She wasn’t entirely sure if he was conscious when Kylo was in control, but if she was repeating what he already knew, she felt bad. 

“Hey, I'm not poking at you for why you did it. Everyone has their reasons and if it was to save your friend, then I think that's a good cause. And like he said, it really isn't so bad. I mean, it could always be worse; burning in hell for all eternity and all of that good stuff,” Ben said, sitting across from her. 

“So, he wants me to work here, for the two of you, because…?” she asked, still confused.

“More than likely to make sure you have enough money to get by until he actually needs you. No offense, but you  _ are  _ just a bit thin. And I don't know your home situation or anything like that, but I know he likes having those he makes contracts with in good health, so that's my only guess,” he sighed. 

“Good health? What for? Wouldn’t he rather I die sooner so he can have my soul faster?” she asked. “I more feel like he wants me here so he can keep tabs on me, like some weird, possessive...boyfriend. He owns me, after all.” 

“He does,” Ben nodded. “But no, I don't think he wants you to die sooner, or he'd have done it immediately after sealing your contract. As for the possessive boyfriend comment...I wouldn't let him hear that,” he snickered softly, taking a sip of his water. “Although he'll probably act like he doesn't care what you think of him, but he  _ does.” _

“Why?” She leaned forward and grabbed the water he’d poured her, taking a refreshing sip of it. Everything about all of this was truly bizarre, but that most of all struck her. Why did the demon care what she thought? 

“It's...complicated,” Ben said slowly, one arm along the back of the couch as he looked down at the coffee table between them. “I don't know that I'm at liberty to say. He can be hard to get along with, sure, but he's the most human out of any demon I've come across. I think he tries to hold onto that as much as he can.”

“Does he take over you often?” she wondered, cocking her head curiously to the side. He’d said that she’d learn to tell the difference, to see the tells of Ben and the tells of Kylo. But she already could. Ben’s eyes were light and soft, his smile easy and kind. Ben didn’t wear his muscles like they were trying to intimidate, but rather like they were just another piece of him. 

“Often enough. He has quite a few deals to make per month. Throughout that other time, he's usually... _ downstairs _ , doing his thing. But if he needs to contact you or anything like that, then yeah, he's going to come say hi,” he nodded, glancing her over again. “And of course, First Order is a truly legitimate business. There are real accounts and everything here and everything goes by the law. However, the accounts and numbers have meanings for each individual client.”

“Oh. So, what, I’m just expected to quit my job and come work here as what, your secretary? You already seem to have a pretty great one. Very loyal, that Mr. Mitaka,” she said. 

“He's a good man. He tries his hardest, which is more than I can ask for. But yes, the offer is for a personal assistant to either myself or one of the other executives on this floor.  _ Not  _ recommended, mind you. I can have you on whenever Mitaka enjoys his days off, and you'll still earn more now than where you currently are,” Ben said, looking at her curiously. “It's a good offer, all things considered.”

“Oh. I mean, I don’t exactly love my current job. I like what I do, I like taking things apart and putting them back together, but my boss is a massive asshole with a huge temper problem. But I wouldn’t feel right sitting at home doing nothing while I’m making more money, I feel better if I earn it. Although I have no experience being a personal assistant, so maybe I should work for you, who understands the situation, rather than someone else who may expect me to know what I’m doing right away,” she offered with a shrug. 

“A wise decision,” he nodded. “Those other executives out there? They're other hosts, just like me, to Masters that are not nearly as approachable as Kylo. Which I seem to remember you stomping right up to him to get his attention. I don't know if you're brave or...yeah. We're going to go with brave. For the first couple of weeks, you'll have Mitaka showing you how to do everything. He's patient enough to do it, and he knows I would never replace him.”

“Does Mitaka know?” she asked, glancing back at the door as if to see him lurking there, listening. Not that she expected him to. He was too good of an employee to eavesdrop. 

“Everyone at First Order knows,” he said. “Obviously, if you take the job, then you'll have to sign an NDA. Your friends can't even know, even though Finn summoned Kylo. Is that something you can agree to?”

“Besides Finn and Rose, I  _ have _ no other friends,” she shrugged easily. “Sooooo, what? I just work for you...forever? Do you have any idea what it is that Kylo wants with me?” 

“You work for me until you're told otherwise. And as far as what he wants, I can't say. You'd have to ask him,” Ben said, shrugging. “Although, I can tell you he's been listening this whole time.”

“A voyeur, is he?” she frowned. “Please tell me he doesn’t watch you when you do  _ other _ things.” 

Ben chuckled. “I'm usually not thinking about him at the time, so I really couldn't tell you,” he smiled with a wink. 

“Does he often use your body to seal contracts? Do you often find yourself kissing people you’d rather not?” she asked, cringing. She was even more happy now that she hadn’t done anything obscene. It wasn’t even him! 

“It is what it is, I guess. I don't particularly enjoy kissing old people, but it was part of my deal. I guess it could be worse. It's just kissing, at least. He doesn't make me do anything beyond that,” he said, looking over at her. “You look like you're about to puke. Was it really that bad?”

“What? No! I mean, kissing you was definitely top five, really,” she said.  _ Top two, really. Number one, honestly.  _ “I just feel bad that your consent was robbed. You didn’t want to kiss me and yet your body did. That’s not very fair.” 

“It's okay,” he said, looking down at his hands. “We have an agreement. A word to the wise, though; don't make anymore deals, no matter how dire it is. It'll just lead to more deals and more shit. Just...don't do it, okay?”

“Thanks for the advice. I hadn’t really planned to,” she said. There was nothing in her life that she needed so badly that she had to summon a demon to achieve it. The lives of the only two people she cared for were pretty much secure. She needed nothing else.

She chewed her lip a moment, thinking over everything. “Hey, Ben? Can I ask, just, one more really important question?” 

“Sure, go ahead,” he said, raising a curious eyebrow in her direction. 

“He’s not going to—I mean—are—" she sighed and squeezed her eyes tight, forcing the words out. “Is he going to have sex with me?”

Ben blinked slowly, head tilted to the side curiously as though he was listening to something else in the distance. “Do you... _ want  _ him to…?” he asked instead, focusing in on her again. 

To her utter shock (well, not truly) her mind supplied quite the interesting answer. Well, if wasn’t like she’d ever even imagined this scenario, so…

“Yes,” she whispered, her gaze never faltering from his. 

Stunned, Ben reached up to rub the back of his neck, looking down as he thought. “Well, I mean. I guess I can't fault you for that. Just keep in mind he uses my body to blend in with humans. His own is... _ not  _ human. It's humanoid, yes, but... you might find out.”

Because while he may think her cute, he didn't just want to offer up his body when he couldn't really even go along for the ride. 

“Oh. You won’t be there, too?” she asked, the corners of her mouth turned down. 

“You want me to be?” he asked in surprise, his heart tugging slightly. Maybe...maybe…?

Meeting his gaze, she stuck her chin out at him. "Is it terrible for me to say I do?"

"I don't think so, no. Let's see what our mutual enslaver says about it."


End file.
